Product Details

Covering a range from 29mm-216mm in 35mm format, Canon's new EF-S 18-135mm
f/3.5-5.6 IS offers a winning combination of size, range and features and is
a perfect complement to APS-C cameras. With high-quality optics, dedicated image
stabilization and more, this new lens promises to be a favorite for EOS users.

Specifications:

Focal Length & Maximum Aperture: 18-135mm 1:3.5-5.6

35mm Equivalent: 28.8-216mm

Lens Construction: 16 elements in 12 groups

Diagonal Angle of View: 74° 20' - 11° 30'

Focus Adjustment: Inner focusing system

Closest Focusing Distance: 0.45m / 1.5 ft.

Filter Size: 67mm

Approximate Weight:

Unit: 1 lbs

Shipping: 2 lbs

Warranty Information:

Manufacturer Warranty (authorized online retailer): One Year Parts
and Labor

The new EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS is a fairly new product and you won't find many reviews just yet. I got is with a recent purchase of a Canon 7D, which...Read complete review

The new EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS is a fairly new product and you won't find many reviews just yet. I got is with a recent purchase of a Canon 7D, which I suppose makes sense from Canon's perspective to include a low cost kit lens to keep camera kit prices down. However, the 7D (among other bodies in the Canon lineup) really needs a sharper lens to reach its full potential. That said, the EF-S 18-135mm actually takes some decent shots. In hand, the lens feels cheaply made, but the light weight can be a plus for some. The focus is smooth, with very little lens creep. Others say they have had problems with creep in this model, but I haven't seen it with mine. There is no play in the barrel, so the initial "cheap" feel of the lens is somewhat allayed after shooting with it. The newest generation IS on this lens may be its biggest seller. Canon advertises 4 stops of IS functionality, but in average use you can expect to get three. Even with the micro motor AF, this lens will compete with USM for speed. It is louder, but not bothersome. CA, as already mentioned, is problematic at the long end of the focal length range. Vignetting is noticeable at the wide end of the lens, but stopping down helps this. There is strong barrel distortion at 18mm, gradually decreasing to the 50mm range. Price will be a selling point in this lens compared to the 18-200mm IS, and the 18mm wide end definitely wins out over the 28-135mm on the APS-C sensor bodies. The EF-S 18-135mm has a nice focal range, making this a good everyday lens, not sacrificing IQ for a long focal length like some super-zooms. Image quality is sharp, but I can't say it's tack-sharp. I'll reserve that language for the L glass. All in all, I would say this is a decent, above average lens targeted to the non-professional market. Not the best in the line of Canon lenses, but their lower priced glass is making great strides in overall image quality. As one of Canon's newest lenses, the amateur SLR photographer will not be disappointed in this purchase.

VS

Most Liked Negative Review

Fair upgrade from the 18-55, but far from the best

I've had this lens since it first came out and I'm not very impressed with it. Vignetting is horrible, as is the chromatic aberration. If you love dark corners in your photos, as...Read complete review

I've had this lens since it first came out and I'm not very impressed with it. Vignetting is horrible, as is the chromatic aberration. If you love dark corners in your photos, as well as a purple fringe around your subjects, this is the lens for you! I can get the advertised 4 stops of image stabilization, which is a great plus, but the non-USM micro motor AF is very slow, and constantly searching in low light. As far as image quality, the word "disappointing" comes to mind.. I own several Canon lenses, and this one gets left at the bottom of the bag, unless I need quick access to a wide zoom. Build quality is, in a word, terrible. Focus and zoom is very loose. Tip it slightly and the barrel fully extends; no creep here... it flies out. The silver ring started peeling off the barrel, which gives a nice touch to the junky, plastic feel of this lens. If you compare price vs. quality, you would do better to look elsewhere. I am a Canon nut, and shoot with nothing but Canon glass. Canon makes extraordinary lenses. This, my friends, it not one of them.

I got the lens when I purchased my Canon 60D. For being a kit lens this thing is a great value. Images are sharper than most other kit lenses I have used. The only negative thing I have to say about the lens is the amount of dust that can get inside of this lens is amazing.

I purchased this lens in a kit along with my first Canon DSLR, the 60D. Just starting off, the lens satisfied me - its focal range is ideal but I wasn't quite sure what to look for quality-wise. As I have continued to use the lens, its low quality has started to become more and more apparent. The build is a bit weak; the focus ring has become loose and the silver design taping has begun to peel off. Additionally, the auto-focus speed isn't quite up to par. In post-processing especially, the low image quality stands out. There is a good deal of vignetting and warping around the edge of the image, noticeable aberration, and the images are of sub-optimal sharpness. In addition, zooming in to 5.6 can be painful in anything less than broad daylight. On the positive side, the IS makes this lens ideal for documentary-style filming, which I've done a good deal of. Anyone who considers themselves more than an amateur should consider investing more in a different lens for higher image quality and build.

I purchased a Canon 7D Mark II with this lens. I went to a surf contest the next weekend and shot well over 2000 pics for the day and both lens and camera performed flawlessly and I am very pleased with the pictures taken. A great purchase!!

This lens has a good focal range but with a constant vignetting problem. The auto focus works well in daylight, however searches too much in less adequate outdoor and indoor lighting situations. The lens is built well despite the other issues and would make a good starter lens. I like how this lens and other canon starter kit lenses have metal connection points to the lens bayonet, it increases durability when compared to lenses that have cheap plastic connection points.

I have seven Canon lenses and this is my favorite. 18 - 135 covers 95% of my photography. I also have the 18 - 200 but prefer the 18 - 135 for the lighter weight. In situations where 135 is not as much zoom as I'd like, I simply crop the photo to get the area I wanted to zoom in on. With an 18 megapixel T4i I can crop and expand a surprisingly small area and still have amazing quality in the finished photo. I travel a LOT, and this camera and lens go with me everywhere. I feel it is the best choice for a one lens travel kit. Lightweight but no compromise in picture quality. I have done extensive testing comparing my T4i with the 18-135 lens against a 5D Mark II with the 24 -105 L lens. Very little difference. You really have to crop and expand very small areas to find a difference.

I like the 18-135 mm range, it covers most normal scenarios. It is fast focus and reliable. However, when taking pictures in low light, does not performes well. Ex: museum with low light, old paintings etc...

I read many reviews before I wrote this to try and figure out what I should say. First of all my pictures were slightly fuzzy and the focus was slow... Um hello self, have you checked your cameras settings? No? Maybe you should. Now that I have checked them, the fuzzy shots with lots of graininess are completely gone. So anyone who reviewed this lens as being anything but sharp needs to fiddle with their camera settings some more and read the manual or another how to book.

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Standard Zoom Camera Lens

Discontinued

* Clicking any of the above pricing links will bring you to the listed merchant's site. Abt relies on an independent third party service to update comparative prices automatically and are not responsible for any unintentional errors.